NASA's Aqua satellite provides a subset of MODIS Level-2 cloud data aligned with the CloudSat satellite's field-of-view track. The subset spans approximately 200 km cross-track, preserving all original MODIS pixels along-track. The GES DISC organization produced this dataset, with data last updated in February 2018.
Use Cases
- Analyze cloud optical thickness and effective particle radius derived from MODIS visible radiances.
- Compare cloud top temperature and height retrieved from MODIS infrared channel radiances.
- Study cloud phase classification (ice vs. water) using near infrared solar reflected radiance.
- Validate CloudSat radar observations with co-located MODIS cloud fraction and effective emissivity data.
- Investigate cloud shadow effects on surface radiation using the subset's derived parameters.
Strengths
- Data subset spans a 200 km cross-track width aligned with CloudSat.
- Includes cloud parameters derived from infrared, visible, and near infrared spectral channels.
- Provides parameters for both daytime and nighttime conditions.
Limitations
- Last update was in 2018, indicating the dataset is not current.
- Specific row count, file size, and column details are unknown.
- Cross-track pixel width varies (41 or 201 pixels) depending on parameter, complicating uniform analysis.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA GES DISC
- Collection Method
- Subset created from MODIS/Aqua MYD06_L2 standard product, selecting data within +/-100 km of CloudSat track.
- Geography
- Global, following CloudSat satellite orbit track.